Bay College freshman McKenzie Hoffmeyer (23) attempts a contested shot in the paint during a game against Montcalm Community College on Feb. 8, 2025 at Bay College. (Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — The Bay College women set the tone early, romping past Delta College 101-38 in a Great Lakes District B basketball quarterfinal here Tuesday night.

Bay improved to 20-9 with its eighth straight victory.

The Norse meet Lansing Community College Friday at 6 p.m. at Mott Community College in Flint. The Pioneers finished 10-17.

“It was good to get ahead of them early,” sophomore guard Kennedy Sproule said. “We played as hard as we could all night. Our previous game against them (in an 81-60 victory Feb. 22) motivated us. Nobody wanted this to be their last game. We knew they were going to come out hard.”

The Norse scored the first eight points before Delta got within 11-8 on a layup by sophomore forward Hailee Jefferson midway through the first quarter.

Bay responded with 10 unanswered points, extending its lead to 21-8 on a jump shot from the right corner by freshman guard Mckenzie Hoffmeyer.

After Delta freshman forward Amaka Neetz sank a pair of free throws, the Norse answered with a 7-0 run, gaining a 28-10 cushion with 24 seconds left in the opening frame when Hoffmeyer split a pair of free throws.

The Norse continued to build on their lead in the second which reached 47-22 on a pair of gifters by freshman guard Anna Axtell 46 seconds prior to the intermission.

Bay all but decided the issue in the third, scoring the first nine points for a 56-22 advantage on a layup by freshman guard Lauren Zawada.

After Delta sophomore guard Amari’A Campbell scored on a putback, the Norse answered with a 19-0 run for an insurmountable 75-27 advantage with 1:40 remaining on another pair of gifters by Hoffmeyer.

“They stayed close the last time,” Hoffmeyer said. “We knew what we had to do and this time we moved the ball better. We knew that was something we needed to clean up and did a pretty good job. It’s one and done. We knew we really needed to focus. I think everybody contributed. We worked as a team and played our hardest.”

Axtell led the Norse with 23 points, six rebounds, two blocked shots and four steals.

Sproule, who struggled from outside in the past few games, drained six 3-point shots this time. She finished with 20 points, seven boards and three blocks.

“I just stayed confident,” she said. “It definitely helps to hit one to get you going. We had a good defensive plan. It feels good to be going back down there. We hope to make a longer run this time.”

Hoffmeyer scored a career-high 18 points to go with four assists and three steals. Freshman guard Makenna Hendrickson hit all five of her free throws and tallied 13 points and Zawada finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The Norse held a 34-23 rebounding advantage, hit 35-of-80 field goals and committed 18 turnovers, including just five in the second half.

Jefferson scored eight points for the Pioneers, who finished 12-of-60 from the field and had 32 miscues.

Box score

Delta College 10 12 7 9 — 38

Bay College 28 19 28 26 — 101

Delta College — Griggs 3, Howell 2, Campbell 6, Jefferson 8, McCrum 6, Baldwin 4, Ayala 5, Neetz 4. FT: 13-24; F: 18; Fouled out: None; 3-point field goal: Baldwin

Bay College — Hendrickson 13, Axtell 23, Sproule 20, Zawada 10, Longs 8, Phillips 8, Hoffmeyer 18, Anders 1. FT: 16-22; F: 20; Fouled out: Anders; 3-point field goals: Sproule 6, Axtell 4, Phillips 2, Zawada, Longs, Hoffmeyer